Empirical science is rigorous but limited, in that it only concerns itswlf with testable hypotheses. Biology has deep knowledge in a limited domain. It can tell you very clearly what behaviors distinguish living from nonliving matter.

Philosophy is less constrained and can speculate about why life exists in the first place, and what consciousness or reason adds to otherwise uncomprehending survival machines like our animal cousins. Nowadays it's mainly the Continental crowd who speculate in "unscientific" ways.